Possibilities
by oO8 Giacente Lolita 8Oo
Summary: Ashley Davies was convinced that there was zero possibility of anything happening between her and Spencer Carlin. She would know, she spent the better part of three years stalking her. But when she actually befriends the blonde, can she keep convincing herself that she's not good enough for the blonde, or are there other possibilities lying in store? Slightly AU. T for language.
1. Ashley

**Disclaimer: As much as Frank prods my soul to destroy the Creator of South of Nowhere and claim the ownership in victory as a trophy, it is not only impossible, but also illegal in many states, countries, continents, and galaxies. Damn.**

I could see her. Amidst the crowd of fragrant cheerleaders, completely unaware, she stood. Her blonde hair today was pulled back into a sloppy ponytail, half of her bangs falling into her face and hiding her clear, bright blue eyes away from me. She moved a smooth, neatly manicured hand up and pushed the offending hair from her face. She smiled to something one of the cheerleaders said and glanced around the hallway. From my position by the water fountain, she wouldn't be able to see me, but I could see her. I see her everywhere. Spencer Carlin. Her slim figure was everywhere, and everywhere she was, I was sure to go.

I was drawn to her, much like a moth drawn to a lantern, her inner light just making my heart flutter and pulse, and my stomach clenching in a yearning to just get a little closer. And as much as I wanted to fulfil this secret addiction to Spencer, I couldn't. I wouldn't. I'm no good for her, not good enough for her. I'm not even the right person for her. After all, Spencer Carlin tends to go out with the more masculine type, like Aiden.

Aiden is Spencer's match. I can see it in the way that Spencer looks at him, laughs at the things he says, leans into his touch, his embraces. The things that I wish that I could provide for her, the protection that he offers to her. Something about the safety of a man, the solidity of form, their muscles, overprotective nature. Something Spencer looks for. Something I don't have. Something I can't provide. Because I'm no good. Not good enough. Not for her. Because I'm...

"Ashley Davies! Where the hell have you been?"

I quick flash around to see my half sister stalking up to me. Her face is twisted, trying hard to not lose her temper, to smother her irritation and not freak out on me in public. Kyla isn't an angry, quick tempered person. If anything, she's too nice to everyone, and one day, that sweetness is going to eat at her until her cracks start to become a little more noticeable, and someone takes advantage of her. She's too patient, too much of a fixer. Except to me. Besides Dad, I'm the only other person who's shit she doesn't put up with, and she lets me know it. We weren't even supposed to meet, Kyla was supposed to be a secret, but when Dad died, her mum dropped her off on our doorstep with a note, and that was that. Kyla and I have never been close, but we were all each other had, and that mutual tolerance is what we survive on. I admit, I'm always worried about her, but to be honest, her life isn't my problem.

I rolled my eyes, turning to my locker and opening it. Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a small make-up case and started to touch up the dark Kohl around my eyes, smudging eye-shadow over the lids, giving my eyes a smoking look. Kyla, next to my locker, tapped her heeled foot in irritation. I looked at her casually, arching a slim, freshly plucked eyebrow. "Does it look okay?" I pointed to my eyes and she snorted.

"What the hell, Ash? You missed first period, again. They're going to kick you out if you don't fix your attendence!" She frowned at my black, thin leather vest, picking a piece of lint of the shoulder. She looked closer at the top and sighed looking a bit exasperated. "Honestly! The school dresscode! Are you even wearing a shirt under that thing?" She pulled at the front, looking down the front and smacked my arm.

"Ow! Ky! This is a shirt. I don't need to wear anything under this that I don't want to." I glared at her and rubbed my shoulder. I turned back to my locker and shuffled the books inside angrily. I glanced back over to where Spencer had been standing, and saw her leaning with her back against Aiden, her brother Glen and Madison the only ones left of their group from before. Spencer turned her head and stared in my direction. Not at me, I thought to myself. At my direction.

Kyla, realizing that I wasn't paying attention to my lecture, reached over me and took out my chemistry book and slammed my locker shut loudly, jarring me back to her. "Seriously? Ashley, you need to stop staring over there. Honestly, your being kind of obvious." My eyes started to wander back over to the happy pair and Kyla snapped her fingers by my ear.

"What do you mean obvious?" I growled, frustrated that she wouldn't just let me look.

The skin on her forehead creased as she stared at me. "Aiden. You keep staring at him, green with freaking envy. It's annoying and pathetic." I started to panic, not realizing that my face had been giving me away. At least she thought it was Aiden I was staring at. I can deal with her thinking that I was just crushing on Aiden, and not the blonde draped on his arm.

Kyla saw me look back at the pair, and her stare softened. She rubbed the side of my arm and cocked her head slightly to look at my face. "Hey, it's okay. You just need to tone it down before Spencer notices and comes over here to kick your ass."

I wanted Spencer to look over, to notice me, but I knew that Kyla was right. Spencer wouldn't know that I was staring at her. She would think I was staring at Aiden, and as the High Queen of the school, Spencer would have to defend her territory and attempt to murder me in the middle of the cafeteria. She almost did, back in freshman year when she moved in from Ohio. Spencer had quickly established her place in King's High, and was quick to defend and attack, most of the time in a subtle, discreet way. A way where almost no one could trace it back to Spencer. No one save for me.

Don't get me wrong. Spencer isn't the terror of the school. Most of the time, she's this nice, sweet person, who doesn't seem like she has a bad bone in her body. A lot like Kyla, she's always keen to help where ever she can. Only unlike Kyla, Spencer has many cracks, and almost like desperation, she lashes out when she has a reason to. She's hiding something, almost, and I don't think that anyone else has noticed. I've heard the word Bi-Polar make its way around, but no one has ever voiced the thought that Spencer Carlin has a secret.

"Ashley!" I flicked my eyes back over to a very miffed looking Kyla, who was pushing her curled brown hair out of her face. She grabbed my hand and dragged my away from my spot in front of my locker, shoving the textbook into my free hand in the process.

I picked up the hand she was gripping and examined the nails. They were bitten down low to the quick, the skin around the nail bitten and ragged. I sighed and trailed a finger around the nail of her thumb. "Kyla, you need to stop biting your nails. This can't be good for you." I let our hands fall and noticed her strange facial expression. "Ky?"

"You don't like Aiden, do you?" she asked, staring at the green-eyed boy glancing over at us. He ran a hand through his short dark hair and quickly went back to Spencer and the others. She let her hand slip from mine and pursed her lips. She gave me the look again, like she was trying to piece together a complex puzzle.

"I... I don't..." I started, looking back over the the pair down the hall. Kyla stopped my setting a hand on my shoulder.

"It's okay really. I mean, Spencer's a bit of a strange choice. I would have thought you were still pining after Aiden, you two were serious for the longest time, and I never thought..." She trailed off, musing over a thought before shaking her head. "I don't know what I'm talking about. Of course your still after Aiden, right? Like your not...?" She inhaled sharply, looking up and plastering a smile on her face.

"Whatever, right? Doesn't matter." She eyed me carefully. "But I recommend that you stop staring, before she thinks that your after her man." She turned and walked away, leaving me standing outside of a classroom by myself.

I leaned against a set of lockers, thinking about what Kyla had said. I was staring an awful lot, and Spencer was bound to get suspicious. I mean, if I had an incredibly hot boyfriend, and kept seeing the same girl stare at us every time I turned around, I'd be a little paranoid as well.

Someone cleared their throat, and I turned to see the blonde standing next to me, a thin smile etched over her face. I froze, panic starting to catch in my throat. She's noticed, and now she's going to kick my ass. She's noticed, but want to tell me to find someone else. She's noticed, but not me staring. She's just noticed _me. _Even if she did notice me, I wouldn't ever make a move. Spencer needs better. Not me.

"Can you get off my locker?" She asked, impatiently. I flicked my eyes to her face, meeting her blue eyes. She stared back, almost amused, almost irritated. I decided to play the Ashley game.

I leaned off the locker and stood in front of her, putting a hand on my hip, the other crossing over my stomach to rest on the one on my hip. "This is your locker?" I raised a brow allowed a smirk to grace my face. "Hmm, that's funny."

I caught her off guard, and she flicked her eyes to the plaque on the locker to confirm the number. She licked her lips and looked back to be . Her hair fell into her face again, and I felt my hand move up and move it out of her face. I tilted my head and smiled. "Well now. Let's hope that I don't find you leaning on my locker tomorrow. That would be tragic." I let my voice drop down to a husky growl, crooning and warning at the same time.

She looked at me confused, and looked down. "Ashley, right? I've heard about you." She raised her head, this time with a smile matching mine. She leaning in close to my ear. "Tomorrow, I'll be sure to be parked right in front of your locker." She pushed past me, smug, and I felt a teak of amusement stretch my smile even wider.

I turned around and slammed shut the locker she just opened. "Looking forward to it, Blondie." I smirked and turned back around to walk into the classroom next to us.

"Hey, Ashley?"

I paused and backed out of the classroom, giving her a slightly annoyed look. "What do you want?" I asked, putting in a little bit of a sigh in there. She looked at me slightly puzzled, and flicked her eyes to the room number on the wall.

She walked over and read it out loud. "Advanced Chemistry? Is this your classroom, too?" She held up the textbook in her hands, the same one that Kyla had shoved into mine. I snorted. "Well, it certainly looks that way."

The look that she was giving me was had to take apart. It was like she was looking at me for the first time, which it probably was, and was trying to analyse everything I did. Her head was tilted slightly, her mouth twisted up in a ghost of a smile. Her eyes distant, but staring right at me. Through me? She nodded to herself, thought complete, and jumped when she saw I was still standing there, deep in thought myself.

"Are you trying to make us late, Davies, or do I have to drag you in, myself?" She asked, trying to get past me. I stepped aside slightly, not enough for her to get past without some difficulty.

I searched her eyes quickly, trying to find a piece of soul that she kept hidden. Yes, Spencer Carlin was different than what everyone else saw, and Spencer Carlin had a secret. Spencer Carlin talked to me, seemed like she could be a friend. Maybe even more. But that wouldn't be fair to her. I mean, who would want to set themselves up against Ashley Davies?

**A/N: Mhm. Yes, well now. That was... Interesting, no? See, this is my first Fanfic of existing content, (future content rocks. The shows in 2019 are awesome...) and I do realise that I just exposed that time travel is possible. SPOILER ALERT! *clears throat* Anyway. I have no Beta, and so the story is a bit off. Not to mention the fact that Frank held me at Spork-point to finish this before my cherubi ate my homework. But alas, I'm smart and stuck in in the freezer ^_^. Oh, your still reading this? Frank! There still...! Right. Review my friends, or I will forced to send Frank after you. It's okay, my Cherubi understands your hesitance. A few sentences is a bit daunting, no? (Frank is the bunny, btw, not the pokemon. He wanted me to be clear with that)  
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	2. Spencer

**Disclaimers: Despite the news broadcast that you missed because you were busy stuffing meatless taco's down your throat in Off The Border, the Psuedo-mexican restaurant that said that now own South of Nowhere, I do not own them. It was all lies. Spread by Frank. If I did own South Of Nowhere, Aiden would get over the girls and just be a very girly friend who secretly dresses drag.  
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I wasn't lying when I said that I heard about Ashley Davies. Honestly, I'm pretty sure that everyone in Kings High heard about Ashley, especially in the newspapers after her rock star father got himself killed in a car accident high on MDMA. It was horrible, and I remember Ashley being absent from Lit. Studies most of that year. We were sophmores, a year after I moved here.

Ashley was strange. I've noticed the little things she does, like in class, when she's bored, she twirls her pencil around her fingers really quick. And with those same fingers I've seen her play the guitar and piano when she performs at Gray's. And when she talks to Kyla, she acts like she's really bored or irritated, but she catches every word. And she only ever buys the salad in the cafeteria on the right side of the serving tray in the back. And I think I've definitely noticed the way that Ashley stares at me.

Aiden's noticed it, too. He's always bringing it up. Apparently the pair had a fling awhile back, and after he got her pregnant, he's been concerned that it was him that turned her gay. Or at least, he's convinced himself that she is. She's never openly outed herself, nor has she ever actually been with a girl as far as I knew. I mean, that kind of thing would get around, right?

Ashley gets around. Not just news-wise (which is plentiful; something is always going amiss with the Davies), but _around_. Aiden said that back in the day, and today, Ashley was always picking people up, whether they're male or female. He hasn't any proof, nor does any of those people even go to Kings. Personally, I'm pretty sure he's just jealous that Ashley keeps rejecting him. Even I would get jealous if Ashley kept rejecting me every time I asked her out. Especially if I really liked her.

"Spencer?"

I turned my head half-dazed at the latina sitting on the bleacher next to me. "Hmm? Did you say something, Madison?" I uncrossed my legs and smoothed the hem of my skirt casually.

"_Mi Dios, _girl, you need to wake up if you want to keep you place on the squad. Seriously, what is going on here?" She narrowed her eyes and parked herself in front of my place on the bleachers.

I gave her a small smile. "Aiden is taking me out to dinner tonight, and then we're going to Gray's. It'll be romantic." I felt my smile widen at the thought of my boyfriend actually taking the time out of his basketball schedule to plan out our special date night.

Madison snorted. "You realise the boy is a whore, and he's had to go two months without sex since he's started dating you? He's hoping to score." She sat on the bleacher next to me and looked out into the practising cheer squad out on the gym floor.

I gave her a mischievous grin. "I know. I've been doing it on purpose." She gave me a funny look, surprised that I was purposely being a tease.

"Why the hell have you been doing that? That's cruel, Carlin." She glared at me, obviously irritated that I was toying with her ex. She and Aiden went out before Ashley dated Aiden, and had a friends with benefits deal after the breakut. Aiden got sick of it after Madison started to talk about his up and coming basketball career and started to talk about marriage and money. Madison liked him for more then his talent, but she has an image to uphold, and there was no way anyone but me was ever going to find out.

"He's been talking about Ashley a lot. He thinks she still like him, and I wanted him to act like he's actually trying for me." I explained, turning so I was facing her and tucking a leg under me. Madison leaned back against the wall behind us, shaking her head.

"I can see why he thinks that." She picked up a wrapper off the seat next to her and messed with it, folding it and unfolding with a loud crackle. "She's been staring at your guys a lot with that look." She demonstrated with her own face, giving me an intense stare.

I laughed at her, turning back to watch the girls. Madison gave me an indignant snort. "It was a good face, _chica_, and your just jealous."I nodded enthusiastically.

"Isn't that weird though, cause she gives you guys that look even when..."

I quickly cut her off with a panicked slap to the knee. "Madison, Kyla fell!" I jumped down the bleachers, quickly hopping from bench to bench while Madison sat frozen in her spot.

Kyla laid on the floor, curled up and grabbing her knee. All the other girls circled around the girl, whispering and glancing nervously at me and Madison. Kyla sobbed lightly, cheeks wet with tears. "What happened?" I asked, looking up at Alison, a brunette who recently joined the squad. She wrung her hands nervously, hands shaking and biting her lip.

She went to shrug and looked at Cassie and Katie, who looked down at the floor. Kaitie was first to speak. "Um, well we were practising the flying routine, and she kinda... slipped, I guess?" Alison nodded quickly and backed up a bit so she was in line with the other girls.

I shook my head at them and dropped down to Kyla. I looked around, hoping that maybe a teacher was actually present for once. Seeing none, I looked down at Kyla. "Where's your phone? We need to tell Ashley you got hurt."

Kyla grimaced as she tried to sit up, accidentally jarring her right knee with her elbow. She doubled over with a quick inhale, clutching her her injured appendage. "Don't bother, I left it at home. It's charging." She said breathlessly, trying to stand, but nearly passed out with pain when her knee straightened.

Madison walked up next to me and handed me my cell that I left on the bleacher. I nodded in thanks and turned to Kyla. "Here, I have mine. What's her cell number?" I asked, pulling up a new contacts entry. Silently, I congratulated myself for slyly getting Ashley's cell number. I was surprised that it felt like such an accomplishment. After all, I hardly know the girl, and... her sister is writhing on the floor in pain. Definitely inappropriate.

She closed her eyes for a second and breathed in, trying again to stand. "No, it's fine. Really, we shouldn't bother her right..." She stopped when Madison stood over her, eyes narrowed in a perfect threatening glare and Kyla gulped. "656-794" she stuttered.

I typed out a quick message to Ashley and turned to Madison. "We need to get her to the nurse. Help me pick her up." I leaned down and put one of Kyla's arms around my shoulder.

Madison gave me a disgusted look at the slightly sweaty girl. "_Ni hablar, _Spencer. No way am I touching mini-freak, here." She turned away and started to walk back to the locker rooms. Her hair bounced as she strutted back to the locker rooms, chin up. In an effort to make a quick exit before I could stop her, she stumbled over a folded up crash mat. I snickered, and she turned around, eyes flashing. She gave me a "tell anyone and die" look, and stepped over the mats, muttering in Spanish under her breath.

I gave an exasperated look at the squad and Katie jumped in, blonde hair blurring as she practically threw herself at us. She put Kyla's arm over her own shoulder and we slowly lifted Kyla up so she stood on her good leg. She hissed when Katie accidentally tapped the bad one with her leg, and nearly collapsed. I shot Katie a glare and we slowly walked out of the gym towards the nurse's office.

Footsteps down the hall made me raise my eyes from their place on the floor directly in front of us as a very worried Ashley came running towards us. Her curly brown hair was flying free from the knot she had at the back of her head, and her dark vest was starting to migrate to the side, exposing a bit of skin on her chest. She breathed deeply, trying to catch her breath, chest heaving. I watched it rise a fall briefly before dragging them to her face.

"Kaitie and Cassie dropped her doing a routine." I explained nodding my head towards Katie, who bowed her head, face red.

Ashley growled lowly, walking over to Kaitie. She pulled Kyla's arm off of Katie's and draped it around her own. "Beat it, airhead, before I drop you." She hissed at the slight blonde. Katie's brown eyes widened with shock and turned around quickly, speed-walking back to the gym.

"She is so not a natural blonde." she stated bluntly, starting to move forward, pulling me and Kyla with her. Kyla yelped as her leg gave out, and Ashley stopped. "Sorry, but she is," She insisted, noticing the face I was making.

"What makes you say that?" I asked, curious.

Ashley chuckled. "Her roots are starting to show. She's a brunette." She looked down and noticed her of-kilter vest and fixed it with a hand. "Hmm, wonder how long that was like that..." she muttered.

"Since you showed up." I replied, watching her adjust herself. She paused, turning to look at me.

"Were you looking, Spence?" she smirked, giving a final tug at it. I felt my cheek flush slightly and went back to staring ahead of us.

Between us, Kyla cleared her throat. "Uh, girl in pain here, can we start moving?" she asked forcefully. Ashley looked around like she was surprised we were still standing outside the gym and started to walk again.

"Sorry, Ky."

"It's okay, Ash. Just get me to the nurse."

Ashley grinned and we started to move forward again. We were silent for the long walk to the nurse, delayed because of Kyla's knee. When we finally arrived at the nurse, she wasn't there, but soon after she arrived and took one look at Kyla's swollen knee before ushering her into a small room with a bed and a pack of ice.

"Looks like Kyla's in good hands for awhile." I said, looking at Ashley, who looked like she was in deep thought.

"Did we have Chemistry homework?" she asked in a casual voice. I rolled my eyes.

"It doesn't surprise me that you wouldn't know, considering how you left halfway through." I walked out of the nurses office and into the hallway, heading back to the gym.

Ashley followed, replying with a "I got distracted."

I let slip a laugh, and she looked at me funny. "Are you still using that excuse? You used to tell that to Mrs. Florence back in Lit. Studies when you would be gone for the majority of class on a "Bathroom Run."

Ashley stared at me wide-eyed. "You still remember that?" she asked in disbelief.

I shrugged, "Well, yeah. It was funny. She eventually made you a special pass so that the other students could use the 'Lavatory'." I chuckled.

I stopped in front of the gym and looked back at Ashley, who was staring at me with a fierce gaze, not intimidating. Intense, like the one that she a had given me earlier before Chemistry. Like she was looking for something. She shook herself slightly, like it was a chill, and looked back at me.

"I need to get back to class before the teacher actually calls the monitors." She scratched her nose and smiled at me. "And I need to go Spencer-proof my locker. Can't have you loitering on my property." She poked my side and I squeaked.

"Hey! That's public property! Any one can loiter there if they want!" I squealed, dodging another poke.

"Your side is public property?" She teased, backing off with a smile.

"My locker, freak! Not me." I giggled, opening the gym door. "And you can't Spencer-proof your locker. I'll still stand there in your way."

She raised a brow. "Oh, Carlin. You are so on." She turned on her heel and strode down the hall, turning the corner without looking back. I walked into the gym and spotted an angry looking Madison. Oh boy.

**A/N: Wow, if you read my profile, you'll see that I said that I only post Wednesdays, and that was due to the fact that I'm a one woman team. And I have my Lovely who is willing to Beta me for a while. Well, It's Saturday, and I suffer from I-N-S-O-M-N-I-A, I can't sleep. (for all those who know that song, I freaking love you). But anyway, Symphonites, I have delivered to you another instalment of "Possibilities", something that I had to stop watching the original Swedish Girl With The Dragon Tattoo to write because my brain couldn't focus unless I did. Just keep reading and reviewing and maybe I'll be prompted to have another brain blast before Wednesday.****  
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	3. A New Kink In The Plan

**Disclaimer:** **I own South Of Nowhere on my home planet. It's a spin off of the old South Of Nowhere, only Aiden dies (I hate that guy...). But the Earthly South Of Nowhere? HA! You must be tripping if you even think for a second that I own South Of Nowhere.**

I was in school way earlier than normal. Usually, I'd show up right before the late bell goes off, but my car didn't have enough gas in it, and I had to ride with Kyla. We were here even before the school opened, which is ridiculous. Who would honestly want to spend more time in here than necessary? We're here for four years before we're free.

The doctor said her knee is sprained, so she has to wear a brace around it. It's pretty swollen, but she hobbles around okay, and can still drive. She can't cheer, so Madison has her washing the uniforms before school. It sucks for Kyla, but she says she "doesn't mind that bitch Madison taking advantage of her crippled condition." Her exact words, not mine.

I left her at the gym as students started to fill into the school, hoping to get out and hang around so that no one suspected that I had actual came in early to school. A flash of yellow at the corner of my eye made me twist my head, searching for the familiar face in the sea of teens. Seeing her, I darted over, slamming her locker shut and leaning against the locker.

She jumped surprised and flashed her brown eyes at me. "What the hell, Ashley? " Katie said, twisting her locker combination again. She was the only person I knew who actually locked their lockers in the school.

"Her knee is sprained because of you and... whatever her name is," I hissed at her, shutting it again. She flared her nostrils and spun around and leaned on her locker.

"First off, her name is Cassie, and she really is a sweet girl and wouldn't intentionally drop someone, especially your sister." She paused, as if realizing that she excluded herself from the list of innocents. "I didn't do it on purpose either. I got distracted by... something, and I let her slip between my fingers.

I glared at her, furious at the blonde. I stepped forward, and she raised her hands up in defence. "I swear, Ash, it was an accident, and I never meant to..."

She didn't get to finish her sentence. I growled and forced her up against the locker, holding her hands up on either side of her head. Her eyes widened in fear briefly, looking to the side at the people around us. A few of them glanced our way, but most of them had heard the stories, one of which where I had broke a kid's arm shoving him in a locker. That was mostly true, except that it wasn't a locker. It was a trash bin that fell on the ground and rolled into the road, where a car hit it. All charges dropped and we told people it was a locker. It works, so I'm not complaining.

"You hurt my sister," I hissed in her face. I tightened my grip on her wrists, and she winced slightly before giving me a smile.

She tilted her head as she stared into my face. A lot like Spencer did yesterday. I shook my head and Katie smiled wider. "I thought you didn't get along with your sister." She pointed out, relaxing her stance.

I felt my aggression slip away, and a smile creep onto my face. "Well, she's family, and I care about her. She'd do the same for me, I'm sure." I slackened my grip on her wrists, but she didn't pull away, instead she just leaned against the locker and bit her lip lightly.

I chuckled and shuffled slightly, discretely stepping closer. Katie looked down, clearing noticing my small advancement and raised a brow, giving me a coy look. "I think that's hot, that you care so much about about your family." She liked her lips and tilted her head up a little, looking up at my face. I was slightly taller than the blonde, so I had to look down to look at her brown eyes. Her pupils were slightly dilated, and filled with amusement.

I grinned mischievously, moving forward so I was almost pushed up against her. "You think that's hot?" I asked, leaning forward. I let go of her wrists, instead planting my palms against the cool green metal.

She giggled slightly and moved her hands to my waist. "Yeah, it's hot. Your hot, and exciting." she crooned, moving her body closer.

I stared at her, mildly bemused. "Exciting, eh?" I moved close to her neck, inhaling her light flowering scent. It made me wonder what Spencer smelled like here, if her skin was sweet, if it was soft. I heard Katie gasp when I breathed on her neck, and her hands tightened around my waist.

"Yeah," she breathed out, voice getting husky. "Your different, Ashley. Dangerous, but sensitive. Impulsive, but controlled. It's hot." She raised a hand and touched my cheek, eyes dark and slightly glassy.

I smirked and leaned forward, kissing her lightly. She reacted instantly, hands reaching behind my neck to tangle in my curly hair. She pressed harder against my lips enthusiastically. She pressed up against me, and I felt her tongue swipe across my lower lip. I was about to deepen the kiss when a loud crash made Katie jump. She pulled away reluctantly and glared, annoyed at the person next to us.

I turned slowly to see who Katie was staring at, and was met with a wide-eyed Spencer and a frowning Kyla. I moved my hands off the locker and ran them down Katie's arms, putting on an indifferent mask on at Spencer. Katie moved her hands back to my waist possessively. "Can I help you?" I asked, pretending to be impatient.

Spencer just saw me making out with Katie, and I would have expected her to look at me in surprise, or disgust, or even with an indifferent stare. Not with anger and jealousy. It made my heart race, the fact that Spencer, who I only just started talking to and had a mad obsession with for three years, cared enough that I was kissing another girl to be jealous. It brought a smirk to my face, and Kyla looked at me with disapproval.

"You do realize that this is the girl that dropped me, right?" She said, gesturing to Katie. She turned to Spencer, who was still shooting daggers at Katie and picking up the textbooks she had dropped earlier. Katie just held onto me, resting her head on my chest with a half-concealed look of triumph on her face.

I shrugged, wrapping my arms around the smaller girl. "I'm disciplining her. It's torturing to have to hang around me, you know." I winked at Spencer and I heard Katie chuckle against my chest.

"The only torture here is being against your tits and having to deal with an intense amount of sexual frustration at not being able to do anything." She said teasingly, poking a boob. I squeaked and Kyla rolled her eyes.

Spencer cleared her throat, trying to disguise the mixture of emotions on her face, settling with looking confusion. "You're...gay?" she whispered, looking around. I saw Kyla stiffen, looking away. She was never 100% cool with waking up and seeing my latest eating a bowl of Trix at the kitchen table, regardless of their gender. She insisted the girls never bothered her, but she was obviously uncomfortable.

"I'm... not into labels," I said casually, watching Spencer's reaction.

Her eyes lit up slightly, before she shifted uncomfortably. "You mean, like, you're bi-sexual?"

I shrugged. "I don't need a label to define myself to others. I am what I am." I smirked and pulled way from Katie, before repeating, "I don't need labels." Katie looked at me confused at our lack of contact so I slipped an arm around her waist.

Spencer frowned. "But everyone else in the world does. Doesn't t bother you what people might think about you?" She shifted her books the the other arm, and we barely noticed when Kyla slipped away, walking down the hall.

I laughed, covering my mouth with a hand. "I was just making out with Katie in the middle of the hallway. I'm pretty sure that says I don't care." Next to me, Katie snorted a laugh and kissed my cheek chastely.

Spencer looked deep in thought and turned around to walk down the hallway. I watched her walk for a second before looking at the younger girl, (after all, she's just a grade below us), giving her a smirk. "I don't know about you, but that was entertaining."

She smiled at me. "I wasn't joking about the sexual frustration, Ash." She bit the side of her lip, grabbing my hands. "I'm pretty sure the cheerleaders are done with the locker room. We can shower after."

I felt my heart start to beat harder in excitement, and my lips twitched into an easy smirk. "Who says the shower has to be after?" Katie grinned and grabbed my hand, leading me to the gym.

I leaned back in my chair in Advanced Chemistry, one of the first people in the room. I liked getting to this class early, I got first pick of seats, and I always took the last seat in the back, right by the window looking out into the outside hallway of the school. I could watch the people walk down the hallway, especially if I was looking for someone.

I missed first period, and got detention, (according to a text Katie sent me, she did, too), but it was well worth it. I may not be _love _the girl, but I don't hate her. I like her well enough, and she's a great shag. She's fun. But she's not Spencer. Only Spencer is Spencer. And Spencer is highly off-limits.  
Not only is she dating Aiden, but she doesn't need a slag as a girlfriend. She deserves someone who is reliable and she can count on, who doesn't get suspended, or nearly expelled, arrested, drunk, high, in fights... I'm a very, very bad influence on Spencer.

A bag dropped down on the lab table next to me and tore my eyes away from the window to, to meet the blue eyes of my favourite blonde. Spencer sat down in her chair next to me, casually, not even looking at me, rummaging through her bag. I watched her curiously, This was the first time Spencer sat with me so far. Usually she would sit in the front, staring intently at the board. School had been going on for about a month, and though she only realised that I had been in the same class as her yesterday,

I've noticed her, and like me, her seat never changed.

She finally looked at me, slamming her notebook and pencil on the table. The few students in the room looked at us curiously until she shot them a look, and they turned around with a few mutters. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, taking in a breath. "Why didn't you tell me that you were gay?" she asked me.

"I'm not..." I started, but she cut me off.

"I watched you make out with the girl I watched drop your sister. Kyla was upset by that, by the way. In my book, that makes you gay. Or bi-sexual, or whatever you are." She glared pointedly at me.

I snorted and kicked my feet up on the empty chair in front of our desk. "In my defence, Spencer, we just started talking yesterday. And that was brief. Why would I tell you that?" She stared at me blankly and I sighed.

"What did you want me to do?" I asked, turning to look at the bored. "Shout out, 'Hey! Spencer! Be fore you go, I love boobies!'?" I gestured sarcastically with my hands.

She shifted uncomfortably, picking up her pencil from the table and twirled it clumsily between her fingers. "Well, no, but you could have mentioned you were sleeping with Katie. I would have never guessed it yesterday." She had a slightly guilty look of her face, as if she regretted doing something.

"I wasn't," I stated simply.

She looked at me surprised. "But you two looked really close in the hall at her locker."

I shrugged. "I was yelling at her for dropping Kyla, and we just kind of fit." I had a hunch that this would make her jealous. Me seemingly enraptured by another woman, someone who is not Spencer. Her jealousy made me tingly, excited, like if she was jealous, it meant she actually cared enough that if I wasn't me, I might actually be able to play my cards right and sneak Spencer right out from under Aiden's nose. The revenge would be sweet, and I'd be getting Spencer along with it.

She scoffed and turned to the front board, watching the teacher walk in. "Right. Does this mean you two are dating now?" she said sarcastically, flipping open the textbook roughly.

I chuckled, trying to look thoughtful. "Maybe. I would mind. She's hot." I smiled to myself when Spencer's pencil flung out of her hand and hit a kid in the head.

She ducked her head down quickly when he turned around, and then returned to me. "I thought you said she was a fake blonde?" she said uneasily, a faint shade of pink.

"So I did, but it doesn't make her any less attractive. I have a thing for blondes, regardless of whether or not it's fake." I gave her a signature Ashley smirk and jotted down something the teacher wrote on the board.

Spencer swallowed nervously and tucked a stray lock of her own blonde hair behind her ears. "Isn't that a bit, I dunno, shallow? To like someone just on their looks?" she asked, keeping her eyes away from her.

"I'm not shallow. Katie is a lot deeper than you would think." I lied. I wouldn't know. I've had a total of 3 personal conversations with her, and none of them were substantial.

"I'm sure she's very _deep._" she said sarcastically. I didn't miss the dirty subtext, and I smiled. Yep, she was definitely jealous.

"Spencer Carlin, are you jealous?" I asked, smiling at her. I sat up and rested my head up on an elbow propped up on the desk, looking at here with amusement.

She started to rapidly flip through the textbook, almost desperately. "No! No, why would I be jealous of Katie? Cause she gets to touch you? Or kiss you? Text you whenever she wants?" she rambled. After a moment, she realised what she was talking about and froze, looking at me wide-eyed.

"I don't find you attractive, Ashley." she said quickly, trying to right her wrong.

I made a suspicious face, secretly cheering my success. I was slowly pulling her in, and soon I'd have her wrapped around my finger, practically mine. Even though she can't be mine. But that's besides the point.

"I never thought you did, and ouch." I pretended to be insulted and turned back to my paper. Spencer made a face, like she was chastising herself, and picked up her bag and stuff, moving to her usually spot at the front of the room. I smirked when she turned back around for another look. I pretended to ignore her and scribbled on the worksheet. She turned back around at the sound of her name, and I grinned triumphantly.

If I knew I actually could be with her without screwing things up, I'd be ecstatic.

**A/N: Now, readers. This is the third chapter. As I'm sure you have noticed, I have posted a chapter every other day. DO NOT GET USED TO THAT! I mean it. I'm generally very lazy. I wasn't planning on posting this until Wednesday, but I have important news to bequeath unto you, and FanFic doesn't really approve of posting Author notes instead of an actual chapter. Yea, pity. So, your probably wondering what this news is right? I ate the last piece of boysenberry pie that was in the refrigerator. ^w^ Actually, In all seriousness, I do have important news that everyone reading this story will find convenient. As the story progresses, the space between updates will increase, and I must tell you from personal experience, when there is a story you really like, it nearly kills you not knowing when the author will update. So, my profile is the biggest indicator of my progress. I am an addict. I am always on FanFic, usually checking Traffic Stats, which means that a lot of my updates are as up to date as possible. I usually will post the current chapter and stage it's in, as well as the progress. I write down any news, such as if I was going on vacation or hiatus, or announcing stories to be created and updated. So, visit my profile for all your Symphonite re-assurances.**

**Also, some of you might notice that I use words/phrases that if your from the United States (It says my location is the US, but I am not a native) you might not comprehend, so feel free to question me about the words. You guys have phrases I don't understand as well, so I totally understand.  
**

**Frank demands that you review. He forbids me from posting another chapter until people start reviewing. He looks like a cute adorable bunny, but do bunnies save Tangent Universes? I don't think so. He is powerful. Also, my Cherubi, who is also my Beta, who is my person, is stalking me because I mentioned a new story I might start. She already stalks me, but it's gotten to the part where she's in the shower with me. Yes. Extreme stalkerness.  
**


	4. Not Right

**Disclaimer: I once invited the Creator to tea to discuss the possibility of owning South Of Nowhere, that is until my Cherubi served him sour dough bread instead of normal bread, and Frank ate his foot. So close yet so far. **

**Shout Outs!**

**My-Life-Is-In-Music: Tell me about it. I'm a toughy sometimes, but those moments in the show make me squee. I need them in the story.**

**lettykoalamelomane: Ahh! I'm originally Brittish, (grew up around Brighton) and when I moved to the U.S 5 years ago, I was so confused. XD And thank you. I know I am. I strive to entertain.**

**Charlee: Oh... believe me. Ashley will come around. So much planned for the pair. Hope you enjoy the next chapter**

**SheemaSheem: Ha! I had secretly enjoyed writing that part the best. Expect for Katie to be around for a while. She is crucial to my devious plannage.**

**victorial117: Frank is evil. I taught him well. Except when International Security came to my home. That was uncalled for. Honestly... I swear I had nothing to do with any explosion... yet.**

"Aiden. Aiden...Aiden! Stop, this doesn't feel right." I panted, trying to push him away.

He continued pushing from behind, breath hot on my neck. "Hold on, almost there..." he muttered, continuing to push me.

I ripped the blind fold off my eyes and turned around to face him. "Aiden! I said stop. That's poor communication." I hissed, slapping his arm with it. He leaned against the wall.

"Spencer, we're the last team of our class. We're so far behind. Can't you just let me do my thing?" He gave me a pleading look, pointing to our gym class up ahead of us. We were doing some kind of trust exercises, blind folds included. Today were trying to walk around the entire school, relying solely on the communications from our partners. There isn't supposed to be any physical content, however, it seemed that Aiden missed the rules speech.

"Aiden, it's not a race." I tied the blindfold back on, flinching when a few of my hairs got pulled into the knot and yanked out of my scalp.

I heard Aiden shuffle back to his position next to me. "Fine, Spencer. Um... forward?" I started to walk until Aiden yelled for me to stop. His yell registered a second too late and I walked into a wall.

I ripped off the blindfold and pinched my nose, wincing in pain. "Aiden! That is not forward!" I hissed, checking to make sure my nose wasn't bleeding. It wasn't, but I couldn't help but feel it was.

Aiden, the ass he was, chuckled. "You have to admit, Spence. That was kinda funny." He pulled me into a hug from behind, and I swatted his arm.

"Was not, that hurt, Aiden. Did you do that on purpose?" I pulled out of his grasp and turned to face him, giving him a menacing glare.

He flinched and moved to me. "I'm sorry, babe. Really, I am. I just got the controls mixed up." he said quickly. "Forgiveness?" he asked, holding his arms out.

I walked into them, feeling his arms wrap around me. It felt off, not like it usually does. It felt more possessive, constricting, than it used to. I used to feel safe, loved. Now I feel like maybe Aiden was just trying to keep me from leaving. I guess that is partially my fault. I have been a little absent the past few days. Easy to think that I was getting bored.

He leaned down to kiss me and I pulled back. "Aiden, what are you doing?" I asked, surprised.

He looked at me funny. "Um, I'm trying to kiss my girlfriend."

I looked down. "I never said you were forgiven. How could you get the controls mixed up?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at the ground.

He shrugged. "I dunno. I'm not exactly the brightest guy in the world. I was trying to please you. It seems like lately, every thing I do is wrong, or your not here with me, your mind is else where." I looked up and saw his facial expression had gone from pleading to suspicious. "Even when we sleep together, you just sit there, off somewhere else. It makes me feel... dirty."

I winced and pulled him into a hug. "I'm sorry, Aiden. I didn't realise." I reached up and pecked the corner of his mouth. "I just have so much going on at home, I've been a bit distracted." I straightened the front of his jacket, running my hands down the front.

He pulled my hands away and tilted my head up so I was looking at him. "That's the thing, Spencer. I talked to Glen, I thought it was your home, too, but he says everything's fine, and that you and Paula were getting along fine the past few weeks. It's something else, isn't it? Someone else?" He stared at me almost desperately, and I couldn't help the twinge of regret in my stomach.

"No one else, Aiden, but you and me. I just have a lot of stress, things I'm confused about, things in school I've got to worry about. It's not you, I promise. It's me." I hugged his middle and felt his hands rest on my lower back. He rested a chin on my head and swayed us gently.

"I supposed I might have been reading to far into things." He admitted, pulling me closer. I hummed in response and felt him kiss the top of my head. "We are okay though, right Spencer? Cause if we aren't, I have a whole queue of people just waiting for me who think I'm hot, cause I am hot. And special, and amazing..."

"And not to mention modest." I added sarcastically. He laughed and pulled away. I sniffed and smiled up at him. "You are all of those things, though Aiden. I'm lucky I got to have you. I'm pretty sure Madison is desperate to get a piece of you."

Aiden's eyes lit up and he smiled. "Really? Madison is looking to snag me?" His eyes glazed over and I felt a spark of anger flare. I punched his arm.

"Ow! What the hell, Spencer?" He glared at me and rubbed his arm, annoyed. "Don't be jealous. Madison is a nice piece of ass. I can't help it."

I rolled my eyes. "So when one of the boys mentions my name, do you get that goofy look on you face and practically have an erection in front of them?" I growled, tapping the front of his jeans.

He looked down at the front of his jeans and adjusted himself. "Well then, look at that." I snorted and he looked up. "I...Sometimes...The boys don't really talk about you very often, so..."

My eyes widened in shock and anger and I shook my head, turning to walk away. "I don't believe this. I don't need this right now." I looked back at him. "Honestly, Aiden? I've noticed this attraction to her for ages. I'm not the only one who's distant, even in sex, and I'm not the only one who is is looking at someone else." I turned back around and started to walk down the hall.

"Spencer! What about the rest of gym class?" he called to me, holding up the blindfold.

I turned around and stared at him coldly. "We're over, Aiden, so I suggest that you find a new partner who can trust you." I spun around and stalked down the hall, passing Kyla in the process.

She trotted after me and set a hand on my shoulder. "Spencer? What just happened?" She lead us over to a bench in the quad and sat us down, looking at me worried.

Me and Kyla were never really friends, more or less just squad-mates. All I really knew about her was that she was Ashley's half-sister, had fantastic flying skills, and was a bit feisty. And Ashley's sister just saw my argument with Aiden.

"It was nothing, Kyla. I just... he just... I don't know. All I know is that Aiden has a thing for Madison, and I..." I trailed off, looking across the quad at a tree. I didn't know what I was doing. I don't know why I was so distant with him. I don't blame him for starting to distance himself and look to another for entertainment. It doesn't excuse anything, but it makes it understandable.

Kyla folded her legs underneath herself and tilted her head. "Does it have anything to do with Ashley?" she asked curiously. I looked over at her and saw the concern in her eyes and thought for a second.

"What makes you think it has anything to do with Ashley? I haven't talked to her in three days." I said cautiously. It's true. I haven't talked to her since Tuesday, and I probably wouldn't until Monday. She was always toying with me. Or at least she did Tuesday. I was actually jealous about Katie for being with Ashley. I didn't understand it. Why would I feel like that?

Kyla shrugged. "Just a guess. Ashley has been acting pretty weird the past few days. I mean, the thing with Katie? No idea where that came from. I mean, honestly? Why Katie? I've seen all the guys and girls she comes home with, and some of them are tolerable, but Katie?" she scoffed, shaking her head with annoyance. "I just don't get it."

"Ashley brings people home? Like as in, up to her room, and kicks them out in the morning type thing?" I questioned.

Kyla narrowed her eyes. "I didn't say that, did I?" She thought back for a second. "Oh, so I did. Yeah, Ashley kinda sleeps around. Mostly girls nowadays. She had a thing with Aiden ages ago. He used to be a regular until he started to date you. Ashley was upset, but I don't think it was because of Aiden." She moved her legs out from underneath her uneasily.

Wow, Ashley slept around? That didn't really surprise me, and I already knew about her and Aiden, but I didn't realise the extent of it. And why would Ashley be upset with me?

"Why would Ashley be upset with me?"

Kyla looked at me in surprise. "Not at you. Because of you. I think she was jealous. See, she's had this thing with..."

A loud voice cut across the quad stopping Kyla mid-sentence and she looked over annoyed. Then, seeing who was approaching, looked at me panicky. "I didn't talk about Ashley with you, got it? I said things she'd kill me for saying if she knew I told you." She grabbed her bag off the ground and got up, walking quickly away. She waved to Ashley briefly before leaving.

Ashley sat down in Kyla's spot and looked at me puzzled. "What's up with Kyla?" She watched as Kyla turned the corner and disappeared from view.

I shrugged. "I dunno. Some kind of project for a class that's stressing her," I lied uneasily. I wasn't a liar in general, mostly because I hated lying, but Kyla didn't want Ashley to find out about her conversation and I didn't want to upset her.

Ashley nodded. "Sounds like Kyla. She's so smart, but she acts like she isn't and stressed about everything. It's annoying." She rolled her eyes.

"Are you avoiding me?" I asked her bluntly, looking straight ahead of me.

She looked at me surprised, and a little confused and shook her head. "No, why would I be avoiding you? You've been avoiding me for the past three days. I haven't said anything, figured you had a reason." she paused looking at me. "Though I was acting like an ass the other day."

I laughed. "Yeah, a little. Though I behaving like a jealous bitch as well. Not sure why, but I was. It's a little freaky to be honest." I scratched nervously at my leg and frowned.

Ashley moved up so she sat up on the bench table behind us. She tapped her leg on my shoulder and smiled slightly down at me. "I'm sure Aiden got a kick out of it."

I looked away and brought my leg up to my chest. "Me and Aiden aren't together anymore." I whispered, settling my chin on my knees.

Ashley slipped down next to me and put an arm over my shoulder, giving me a side hug. "Sorry, I didn't know." I might have been imagining things, but her words sounded a little smug. It bugged me that she seemed happy that we broke up. Almost like she had been wishing it...

"You didn't have anything to do with it, did you? I know you and Aiden had a thing... Ew! Your not trying to get back with him, are you?" I felt my stomach constrict. There was no way that she was going for Aiden, although it would explain her staring at us all the time.

She stiffened, arm around my shoulder slipping off. "No, why would you think that? If anything, it's Madison. Kyla says she and Aiden were acting rather chummy the other day. As in full out tonsil-hockey chummies." She cringed and shivered, as if the image was disturbing.

"While we were dating?" I hissed, standing up. It's a good thing I dumped his ass before I found out. Now I don't feel like the cheated housewife.

Ashley jumped up and grabbed my shoulder. "Honestly, your way to hot to even be with him. Madison's a whore, Aiden is a whore, it was bound to happen." She said with a sly smile.

I cocked an eyebrow. "You think I'm hot?" I asked carefully, trying to keep my voice non-threatening. I wanted to see if she meant it.

I expected her to backtrack on her words and cover it up with something lame like the last time I talked to her. Not that I wanted her to tell me that I wasn't attractive. Instead she gave me a coy look and stood in front of me, eyes trailing down the length of my body. I felt myself grow warm, and I shivered.

Her eyes returned to my face, and with a serious expression replied: "Yeah. Really. I'm surprised that Aiden let you go." She turned around and started to leave. "I'll see you around, Spence," she yelled back to me, turning around the same corner Kyla left before.

I stood there frozen in my spot, remembering the way my body felt when Ashley's eyes slid over the form of my body, dissecting every inch of mine. Aiden never looked at me like that, with blatant appreciation. Nor has it looks ever make me feel like someone turned the heated up to the maximum. It was weird, and as much as I wondered if that was normal for me to feel like that from a girl, another part of me just accepted it. I mean, why wouldn't I enjoy someone appreciating me, regardless of whether or not they were male or female. As long as I didn't start to crush on her, or god forbid, fall in love with her, I was okay. I mean, that's not really possible, right? No one is gay forever, it's not permanent, it's curable. Hell. Why am I even considering it? Carlin's aren't even prone to being gay. Mum even said that it was proven when I told her I might have been infected the other day.

**A/N: Woah, where did that ending come from? If Spencer learned that from her mother, then we are going to have some serious Paula issues in the future. We must set up an assassin team to kill her before she continues to poison our Spencer's brain.**

**Also, the story has been planned from start to finish (had a huge brain break while being eaten by bugs today), and you all should be prepared for some pretty big events. That "thing" that brings them closer? Should appear in the next few chapters. I calculated it. This story might be thirty-odd chapters before it's over, with numerous guest stars. Yes, you read that read that right, my friends. Spashley meets a few special people. If I tell you, I'm going to murder you slowly, and as much as torture is my #1 hobby, I love readers more.**

**Ooh! question time! How do you think Ashley will handle Spencer's view on sexuality? What do you think the big "Thing" will be? Who do you think they will meet? Review! Tell me and maybe you'll be correct!  
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	5. Choice

**Disclaimer (Dammit): According to Frank, my evil bunny minion, if I owned South Of Nowhere in the Tangent Universe, then it wouldn't be the exact replica of our current Universe, and all the universes would collapse upon itself and a giant, inconceivable black hole would be created, and everything in space would be destroyed, leaving a blank space of nothingness. Considering that, I decided it's safe if I don't own South Of Nowhere.**

I spotted Kyla laying on a table reading a book in the empty cafeteria, headphones plugged into her ears. She bobbed her head slightly in time to the song she was listening to, completely oblivious to my presence. I slid into the bench at her table and yanked out a bud.

She flinched and slammed the book shut, her head turning to face me in surprise. Realizing it was only me, she frowned with annoyance. "What do you want Ashley?" she growled, opening her book again.

I stretched out along the bench, looking up at the sky. "What were you talking to Spencer about? Back in the quad?" Spencer had said that Kyla was stressing about a test, but I know Kyla, and even if she was ranting about a test, she wouldn't have gotten up as quickly as she did. She doesn't hate me that much to avoid me at all costs.

She continued to stare at her book, eyes moving too quickly to be reading it seriously. She shrugged. "What's it matter to you?" she flipped the page sharply, tearing it a bit at the spine.

I laced my fingers together and set them on my chest. I thought for a second. Why did it matter to me? I honestly could care less what goes on in my sisters life, and Spencer's life is totally not my business. And Kyla wouldn't dare talk about me. Would she? I took a chance and bluffed.

"Because you were talking about me." I stated confidently.

She froze, stiffening slightly. I could see her throat move and she swallowed, her eyes still. She flipped the page slowly. "No we weren't." she lied unconvincingly.

I tried to stifle a snort. "Kyla, you are lying badly to my face. What were you talking about?" I sat up, giving her a hard stare.

She flipped her hair and turned a page. I snatched the book and looked at the cover. Twilight? Ick.

"We were talking about you and Aiden. And your... bed time companions." She said the last bit with a smirk.

I froze. Kyla was talking about me and Aiden, to Spencer? "You told Spencer about me and Aiden?" I hissed.

She shrugged. "She already knew about you and Aiden's history. She was more concerned about your playmates."

Okay, so I had a history of sleeping around. I wasn't proud of it; to be honest, half of them were lousy. You would expect that I had a better sense of judgement. I mean, I'm Ashley, I should have a better sense of shaggable people.

I started to speak, and I heard my name called from the other side of quad. I turned around and spotted my blonde practically skipping over towards me. She plopped down next to me a placed a kiss on my cheek.

Kyla lifted a brow and smirked. "Especially this particular playmate." She gave me a snarky grin and gathered her stuff.

Katie looked at me confused and asked: "Playmate? Me? Who? What?"

I rolled my eyes and grabbed her hand. "Nothing. Kyla is just being a bitch, as usual." Katie leaning into me, apparently satisfied.

Kyla snorted, displeased that I called her a bitch. "Not like usual. And I wasn't being a bitch. I was merely being informative." She slid off the bench and reached down to grab her purse.

Katie reached over and snagged the bag before Kyla could and looked inside. "Informative? How?" she pulled out a cheese stick and started to unwrap it. I ripped a piece off the top and stuck it in my mouth.

Kyla snatched the bag back. "Spencer is single. I was just informing my dear half-sister. I heard she had a thing for Spencer a while back."I felt my jaw drop as Kyla gave me a triumphant look.

Katie bit into the cheese and looked thoughtful. "But she doesn't now, does she?"

I felt my stomach clench as Kyla stared at me. I still did. I mean, I probably always would. I would never do anything. Never instigate anything. Why would I? I'd face immediate rejection. And I had Katie. Who was still staring at me expectantly. "No, of course not. I have you." I kissed her nose gently and she smiled.

Kyla rolled her eyes. "Alright, I'm oficially going to puke now. I'm going back to history. I'd rather learn about Timber Castles than watch this ick-fest." She shrugged on her purse and headed out of the cafeteria.

Katie frowned, bothered by a thought. "Are you sure? I know what it's like to want someone you can't have. I mean, especially with Spencer. I know what it's like to be ensnared by her. Who wouldn't?" She bit her lip and set the cheese wrapper on the table.

"You had a thing for Spencer?" I asked, incredulous. I never knew that Katie had a thing for women. I always saw her with guys. The last thing I expected was for her to admit to having a small crush on Spencer.

"Oh yeah. It was one of the main reasons why I joined the squad in the first place. Then I found out that Spencer is homophobic, at least her family is, and I kinda started to pull away from her." She looked mildly upset by it, but I wasn't too concerned about her. I was more concerned about what she had said.

Spencer a homophobic? I would have never guessed, and now it bothered my. I had been toying her for days, flirting with her, and she had played back. Went along with the game. Even threw in her own curve ball. Now I questioned it all. Was Spencer just stringing me along, getting a kick out of watching me play with her, or was it all just innocent banter to her? At least it confirmed my idea that I'd never get the girl. Not only was I not good enough for her, I wasn't even worth anything to her.

Katie poked me, jerking me back to earth. She looked slightly annoyed. "I'm beginning to think that there is still some feeling for Spencer with you?" She started to pull away, scoot down the bench, but I grabbed her hand.

I smiled at her and kissed her lightly. "No, nothing left for her. I was just shocked. I would have never guessed, is all."

Katie narrrowed her eyes. "What do you mean? Did something happen between you two?" Jealousy was obvious in her voice; it dripped from her words, laced with suspicision.

I shook my head. "No, of course not. Nothing but playful banter. I always read it wrong is all." I squeezed her hand reassuringly, but she still looked unconvinced.

She moved back next to me and let go of my hand. "I never saw any kind playful banter when I flirted with her. She always just kind of ignored me or stared at me coldly. She was always very rude." She stood up.

I shrugged casually and stood up next to her. "I don't know what to say, but I can say that I am 100% sure that nothing can, and will, ever happen between me and Spencer. I promise." I smiled at her. I wasn't exactly in love with Katie. I like her well enough, and she seemed to like me (not to mention an excellent shag, but that's besides the point), and at this point that was enough for me. It was easy to be with her. She wasn't intimidating, or far out of my league. She was jealous, but wasn't controlling about it, and she was very hot. Not like Spencer, of course, but nonetheless. She was worth holding onto.

She seemed satisfied and grabbed my hand, walking us forward to the exit. "Well, I guess we should get back to class then? We've been gone for ages. I'm surprised that the bell hasn't rung yet." She gave me a small smile and we walked out.

We walked in silence for a minute, neither one of us anxious to break the silence. It was comfortable. Simply. Unlike Spencer, where it became complicated. I liked this easiness. There was no rush. It was comfortable.

I felt Katie stop next to me, shaking me out of my pleasant thoughts, and I frowned, looking at was she had spotted. Spencer stood ahead of us, stopped like we had by our presence. Now that I knew that one small detail about her, I could see the uncomfortable look on her face, at seeing me with Katie. She shuffled slightly, unsure of what to do.

Next to me, Katie was looking at me expectantly, as if she was waiting for me to make a decision. In an instant I knew what she was waiting for. She wanted me to show her that I didn't want Spencer. In front of Spencer. Almost defiantly, slightly bitter that Spencer had been playing with me, I leaned forward and kissed Katie full on the mouth hard, like I was marking her, showing her what she silently told me to show her. I pulled back slightly, flicking my eyes at Spencer, who flushed. I leaned back in and ran my tongue along Katie's bottom lip, asking for entrance. She seemed surprised at first by how intense the moment was getting, but quickly took me in, battling me for dominance.

Spencer, shifted awkwardly, clearing her throat. Katie pulled away and turned to Spencer, a look of satisfaction on her face, clear that she was pleased that I had chosen her. Spencer kept her eyes trained on me, her expression unreadable. Almost disgust, almost jealous. It was hard to decipher, and I found myself wanting, no needing, to know what she was thinking at that moment.

Was she angry that we were displaying affection, sinful affection, right in front of her? Was she thinking about how disgusting we were, with our unnatural behaviour? Was she thinking about starting an intervention? Or was she jealous? Wishing that it was her that I had been kissing, and not Katie? Or was she so deeply conflicted, torn between her beliefs and her desires?

It was kind of satisfactory, thinking that Spencer might be conflicted. It was relieving, to be honest, that maybe Spencer was feeling the same way I did, torn between what we have been told all our lives, what we believed and what kept us back, and what we really and truly wanted. Spencer, taught that liking the same sex was wrong, perverted, and unnatural; yet feeling so attracted to another girl that it hurt to keep believing all that nonsense.

Me, believing that I wasn't good enough for anyone I though better than myself. That and attraction as strong as mine for Spencer wasn't something that I deserved, and that if I did give in to that attraction, that I didn't deserve that happiness I would gain from it. Yet here in front of me, staring at me in the face, was the one person I struggled with myself against.

As comfortable as I was with Katie, how easy and relaxed, she wasn't Spencer. She didn't have that spark, and she may never. But Spencer wasn't something I could ever conceive being with, and Katie was. I had made my decision, hard as it was. And Spencer wasn't in my life equation, no matter how much I wanted her to be.

Spencer turned around silently, and walked away, leaving me holding Katie and watching her leave. Katie leaned against my chest, ear against my heart. It wasn't fast. In fact, it felt like it had slowed down, died a little for a moment. She squeeze my hand and brought it to her lips, kissing the knuckles gently.

"I'm glad you chose me," she said quietly. I squeezed her gently and rocked her.

"Yeah. Me too."

**A/N: To my followers who have been following my story and are angry that I have failed to post this one time... Dammit, why am I apologising for? This is my new update. My time locked up at Devereux was just more time for me to be planning this epic tale. You should all be not pissed at me and should be reviewing so I can stop going mad and spazzing out in public. Oh! And my cherubi, who was my beta, quit. She kinda sucked anyway. So I need a new beta T_T. DO NOT MIND ERRORS. And Katie was Kaitie, but I'm lazy, so its Katie. Live. . Read and Review, Symphonites. Or no new chapter. Or you'll get a chapter where Frank comes in and destroys the whole story. Your pick!****  
**


	6. Katie Vs Frank: A Short

**Disclaimer: I OWN KATIE AND FRANK. Not South of Nowhere, but I don't really mention anything from there. And I don't Own Pokemon. But I own Frank And Katie, and I can do what I want with them. Bwahahahah!**

Katie turned the corner and tripped, stumbling on a small paper bag lying on the floor. Curious, she picked it up. As she lifted it, something inside of it wiggled. She squealed and dropped it, wiping her hands on her pants. There was no way she was picking up something that had a rat inside of it. At least, she thought it was a rat...

The bag crinkled as the thing inside of it moved, the opening becoming slightly ajar. Disgusted, Katie nudged it with her foot. As gross as the idea was of a rat being inside of the old lunch bag, it was quite possible it was someone's adorable pixie that stole away to the school. The thought piqued her interest and she reached down to save the poor creature.

Suddenly a bunny, small enough to fit in the palm of her hand, hopped out of the bag and stared up at her with big, brown eyes. He was a dusty, ashen grey colour, with large, floppy ears. He hopped lightly towards Katie, who couldn't resist but to pick him up. Her heart warmed at the sight of the warm bundle of fur and she smiled.

"Aww! Aren't you so cute? I'm going to call you Mr. Fluffykins!" she flipped her blonde hair out of her face is a shimmering wave and patted the little bunny on the nose.

The bunny's nose twitched and and he blinked. "Mr. Fluffykins? Are you for real?" he snapped.

Katie shrieked and dropped the bunny, backing up into the wall, spooked. The bunny hopped close to her and froze a few paces in front of her. "Do you have any idea who I am?" she asked.

Katie blinked, unsure if it was a question she should be answering. So she did anyway. "Um... No?"

The bunny twitched his nose angrily and stomped the ground with a rear foot. "For Peter's Sake, woman. I am the person who makes sure that characters like you stay out of the literary universe." His large brown eyes narrowed in contempt. "I am the all powerful, all knowing Frank. Bow down, peasant."

Katie couldn't help but laugh at the ludicrous statement. "Ha! Like you, a small, insignificant, stupid rabbit... wait, character? Literary Universe?" She blinked stupidly, staring dumbfounded at the bunny.

The rabbit rolled his eyes. "Duh. You are a character in a story created by Symphoniae Daemoniorum as a character she can easily manipulate to create the story. She can kill you off at a moments glance when she's bored of you. Or she can create stupid interruptions like this chapter she creates to please her readers. It allows me to do whatever I please, with no consequence." he added smugly.

Katie sat down on the school hall floor, confused. "So I don't exist?" she asked, scratching her head like an idiot.

Frank nodded. "Yep essentially. Now that you know that, I'm afraid that there is one last thing to do." He started to ruffle through his fur, searching for something within his fluffiness.

Katie eyed him, apprehensive. "And what would that be, Mr. Fluffi...I mean Frank."

He pulled a small blue phial out of his fur with is front paws and pulled the stopper out with his large, buck teeth. "Well, my dear, it appears the only thing really is to kill you." he said, no humour in his voice.

Katie laughed , tickled by the thought of the small grey bunny attempting to kill her. Frank shook his small bunny head at her foolishness. Surely she knew what was about to happen?

As Katie watched, Frank began to morph, much like when a Pokemon begins to evolve. He grew and shrank, and grew and shrank, before finally he stood up on two feet in a anthropic form, taller then a normal human. His cute bunny face was replaced by a mangy, mangled bunny face, the right eye missing from it's socket. The ears teemed with small, black buggies, and his fur hung from his scrawny form in tattered bunches. Katie's mouth hung wide with fear.

Frank reached behind his back and pulled out a razor-sharp katana, beautifully embossed with silver and black gold. With one quick, deft movement, cut the blondes head off. It fell with a thud onto the floor, and Frank sniffed.

"Well, that went a bit better than I expected." He said, looking down the hall.

A figure, dressed in a hooded cloak, billowing around as if caught in the wind, approached swiftly. A smirk from under the hood appeared, whiteness from the sharp pearly whites glistening in the florescent lighting. "Well of course it was. I wrote Katie to be easily dispensable, didn't I?" Symph said, nudging the decapitated head with her leather boot clad foot.

Frank shrugged carelessly. "I suppose. I was kinda hoping it would be a bit more... dramatic though." He scratched his chest fur as if disappointed.

Symph scratched her imaginary beard and pointed her magic quill at the would be body of Katie. "I could always rewrite the scene again and just update later in the story. I mean, who likes Katie? She's the obstacle blocking the love path between Ashley and Spencer. Everyone wants her dead. Why not witness it multiple times?"

Frank nodded, deep in thought. "I suppose I could work with that. How about if the readers agree to that? They could write that they love the idea of seeing Katie get brutally murdered by me in a review. That way we know that they are on board and we can have these stupid interruptions."

Symph laughed loudly. "Thank you, Frank, for advertising the reviews for me." She tipped the front of her cloak hood in Frank's direction.

Frank shrugged and put the katana away. "Eh, it had to happen anyway." He turns to face the camera, peering out through the computer screen at the reader on the other side. "Hear that? Katie is dead, for now. Not really, she will return, but we'll keep killing her off in these shorts. By me. But you have to Review. How else will I know how to kill her next? You have to tell us, okay?"

Symph shoves Frank out of the camera view, adjusting her cloak. "I didn't know there was a camera here! Cool!" She smiled wickedly before struggling to put a serious frown on. "But really. Do it. Also, the next chapter is in progress. I got distracted with this little clip, because honestly, I hate Katie and I can't wait to get rid of her. Only I need her to set up the next bit of plot. Otherwise, there is no story, right?"

Symph pulls off the hood, revealing a mess of dark blonde wavy hair and a large pair of hazel eyes. "From one human to another, patience is a virtue. I promise that the story coming up will be awesome. Enjoy this gift to you, okay?" She pulls the hood back up over her head and stalks off in the other direction. The camera shifts back to Frank, who has resumed his cute bunny position.

"Damn. The potion wore off. Spymphie! Write me another potion? I hate being cute!" He yells down the hall, hopping towards Symph.

"But I like you went your cute!" she yells back.

"Bitch! Get me more blue juice or Ima cut your head off!" he growls, hopping angrily, trying to catch up.

Symph chuckles. "You can't do that! I have to write it first!"

Frank stops mid hope as a tiara appears on his head. "Dammit!"

**A/N: Yes yes, this has nothing to do with the story. It's a fun little insert. Expect a few. It keeps me wanting to write the story. Symph is me, in this short, clearly, and she might make appearances in the story as it will start to get a bit more complex from here on out. She will be like that stupid tutorial thing when your playing the awesome new Legend of Zelda game that they have to make cuz I beat all of them so far. I hate Katie as much as you do, and I am eager to kill her as many times as possible. So tell me how you want her to die next so i can work on the next short. Hold on to your broken safety bars, ladies and gents. It's about to get crazy. This isn't a normal Spashley story ):D****  
**


	7. Connection

**Disclaimer: As you know... blah blah blah... own South Of Nowhere... Blah blah blah... Copyright laws.. ladida**

**Authors Note Pre-Story: I know some people were a little weirded out by the Short. Yes, unnecessary, but all the same, it was fun and honestly, I wouldn't have kept writing the story if I hadn't. I somehow managed to piss myself off. But anyway, I felt bad for those who felt jipped of an actual chapter, so I wrote the next actual chapter for you while listening to my Veronica's playlist. Your Welcome! Now read it. XD  
**

It was hard to watch that. To see Ashley so easily just kiss Katie. To look at me and then just go and do something like that. It hurt more than it should have, and I had found myself turning away from them, turning away from Ashley.

No, I wasn't a lesbian. I know, at thins point, it totally seems like I am. I never think like this about other girls. Just Ashley. Maybe I'm gay just for Ashley. I told my mum about it yesterday after it happened about what I saw and how it made me feel, and she told me the same thing she always does. Being gay is unnatural, and its like a sickness, and over time, these feeling should heal. But a feeling like this... there is no way that these feelings are temporary. They're way to strong to be wrong, and it's not in my head. It's in my heart.

Okay, I know how it sounds. Just a few days, I was in complete denial, and totally agreeing with my mother. What changed? I got sick of ignoring these feelings. Literally. I came home angry and crying and threw up in the bathroom. It's not something that wants to be ignored. It's big, and beautiful, like a black tiger, but painful and aggressive. And knowing that Katie was with Ashley, not me, made me want to kill her. Grab the stupid katana that Glen is always talking about and just cut off her head.

I slammed the butchers knife through the head of lettuce sharply, cutting it neatly in half. Clay, who was sitting in the living room, walked in looking worried.

He looked at the lettuce and relaxed. "Spencer, your alright. I though you cut your hand off." He said, picking up a piece of lettuce and taking a bite out of it.

I ran my finger along the back of the knife and growled. "I wish I could cut Katie's hand off."

Clay took the knife from me and raised his eyebrows. He set it on on the counter behind him and leaned against it, folding his arms against his chest. "This wouldn't happen to be the same Katie who is currently dating Ashley, would it?" he questioned.

I froze, looking cautiously at my adopted brother. I inhaled at looked at the ceiling.

He chuckled and put a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay, you know. I mean, why wouldn't it be okay?"

I exhaled and shook my head. "Because Mum would never accept it. Because she told me it's wrong, and I believed her for so long." I looked at the knife again. "And because she's with freaking Katie."

Clay moved to the island in the centre of the kitchen and started sifting through the vegetables in the basket. "Did you ever stop to wonder why she's with Katie? Did Ashley ever feel the same for you?" he asked, picking up a red pepper and sniffing the top.

I fidgeted with my fingers, picking at the skin around my thumb. "I thought she did. I mean, she flirted and stuff. But then I saw her making out with Katie the first time." I dropped my hand in frustration and crossed my arms. "She's toying with me. She draws me in, then turns away at the last moment."

Clay set the pepper aside and grabbed a cucumber. "Do you think that that was how she felt? And that Katie was the only option?" He gave me a look from the corner of his eye and picked up the pepper.

I turned it in my hands and thought for a moment. I had gone along with it for a while. I mean, I never acted on it, and I was with Aiden, I could see why she thought Katie was the only other option.

"So I need to get rid of Katie." I said out loud. Dropping the pepper to the floor and rushing out of the kitchen.

Clay, surprised, put the cucumber back on the table and walked after me. "Spencer! That's not what I meant!" he yelled after me.

I grabbed the car keys and opened the door, ignoring Clay coming after me. I opened the car door and stuck the keys in the ignition.

Clay opened the door as I put the car in reverse. "Spencer, you can't just go after Katie. She isn't going to give up Ashley just because you asked." He gave me a look, and I started to feel bad.

Of course she wouldn't just give up Ashley just because I asked he too. She would realise that Ashley was something worth holding on to. Which is why I needed to change her mind. Or change Ashley's mind.

I grabbed the door handle and shut the car door, leaving Clay stunned in the driveway. I backed out and started to head in the direction of Ashley's house. Ashley used to live in a big mansion. Like, it was huge, and gorgeous. Her dad was a rock star, dead from drug overuse. Her mum a gambler after his death. It was sad to see them stripped of the good life. The only thing Ashley really has left is Kyla and their trust funds.

I turned onto her road and spotted Katie walking down the pavement, unaware that my car was slowly creeping by. She looked up and saw me through the window and gave me a nasty smile. I opened my door and walked over to her.

"Katie!"

She stopped on the pavement next to my car and rolled her eyes. "Yes, Spencer? Did I miss cheer practice again because I was kissing a girl? Are you going to kick me off the team because I'm gay now?" She hissed, dropping her knapsack on the ground.

I paused, confused. "Why would I do that?" I asked.

She rolled her shoulders and shook her head. She chuckled. "See, this is what I don't get, Spencer. When I chased you, you burned me. Repeatedly. On the grounds of homophobia. I've been waiting for you to jump on me, kick me off because of my perversion." She practically spit the words at me, she was so disgusted.

"Your so hypocritical, because I can see the want in your eyes when you look at her. Your not gay, because you can't be, but you want Ashley. Your going to have to suffer, Spencer, because I know you have no chance. She's done with you." She gave me a smug look and reached down to pick up her bag.

I walked closer and tilted my head, curious. "How do you know she's done with me?" I didn't think that Ashley was completely through with me. Part of me was still hanging on to that last glance that Ashley had given me. Katie was just trying to rile me up, but she could just as easily be telling me the truth.

"Because you don't want her like she wants you, and she knows that. So she gave up. She's with me. And there's nothing a god-botherer like you can do about it." Katie turned around with a nasty look on her face and started to walk away.

Seriously, this girl was starting to get on my nerves. She was so self-righteous and rude. I walked up and spun her around. "First off, don't make decisions for Ashley. Second, there is nothing wrong with being a fucking god-botherer." I pulled my arm back and nailed her in the face.

Katie sunk to the ground, clutching her nose. I shook my hand, knuckles starting to throb. I never thought that it would hurt to punch someone in the nose. It kinda felt like I hit a wall. I walked back to my car and started back up the wall, leaving Katie on the pavement, blood dripping down from her nose. It wasn't really necessary for me to have hit her, but it felt great. Not as great as cutting her head off would have been, but definitely satisfactory. **[****Frank cuts in:**** Actually I wasn't very satisfied. It was way too easy. ****Symph:**** Frank. Stop interrupting the story. ****Frank:**** Sorry. But still DX]**

I pulled up to Ashley's house and pulled up into her driveway. It was similar to mine, a simple two story modern suburban home, complete with a porch and a few shrubbery in the front. A small path lead from the driveway and the pavement, carefully costructed out of cobblestone. I walked up to the front door and rang her door bell.

A few seconds later, the door opened, and a surprised Ashley greeted me with a quiet "Oh."

I gave her a small wave and stood awkwardly on the porch. I didn't plan this far ahead. I didn't even expect to make it as far as I did.

Ashley cleared her throat and moved aside, motioning for me to come in. "Um, hey Spencer." I walked in and stood in her front room silently, looking at the furniture and portraits. "Did you give up on my locker and decide to come to my house?" She asked.

I shook my head. "Honestly, no. I actually came to get something off my chest, but now I'm beginning to think this was a really bad idea." I said, turning to face her, unsure.

Ashley bit her lip and placed her hand on a table next to the door. "Well your here now. I can't really imagine anything bad happening." She cocked a eyebrow and looked at me, expression coy.

I folding my hands behind me, trying to make up a plan quickly in my head. "Yeah well one of us is going to get hurt."

Ashley walked up to me, parking herself right in front of me, staring at me in the face. "Spencer. Stop playing games. What is this really about. What are we doing?" I looked down at the floor, and Ashley followed my gaze, leaning down to catch my eye. "What is it?"

I looked up and ran a hand through my hair. I looked to the side. I was too hard to really look at her. "Ashley, I'm..." I paused, the words lodging themselves in my throat. I scratched nervously at my arm, trying to catch the courage to just spit it out.

"Spencer, for Peter's Sake, spit it out." She said. She tried to sound irritated, but I knew that she was just as anxious as I was, almost like she really wanted to hear what I was going to say. Like she knew.

"Ashley, I think I'm starting to..." I found myself once again trying to say it, but I knew that if I said it, then it would be true, that I'd be going against everything that I believe, that I was finally accepting the unacceptable.

"Ashley I really like you, and more than I'd like to."

She looked confused at first, then her look turned conflicted. She looked away, suddenly looking upset. She put a hand over her mouth.

I started to freak out, and I rushed to clarify. "I can't help how I feel. I can't stop thinking about you. I want to kiss you, but I can't stop myself from running away. I've tried pretending that I can't feel it, tried to lie to myself." I stared at her, but she continued to look away, and I found myself more determined to get her to look back.

"I know that you feel this too, and I know that you want me too. But your always confusing me, and I don't know what to do. I'm giving up everything I believe in for this, but you need to look at me and see what I'm telling you, Ash. Please?" I moved closer and raised my hand to her cheek. I turned her face slowly and she closed her eyes, shut from me.

"Ashley, I'm done running. But why are you? Why are you shielding yourself from me with Katie? Why can't you just love me like you want to?"

Ashley sniffed, and I thought for a second that she was going to start crying and I started to lower her hand, but her hand caught mine, trapping it against her face. She opened her eyes and stared into mine, her liquid brown eyes filled with emotions, thoughts, and regret. I felt myself lean into her, and her leaning into mine. I closed my eyes, breathing in the scent of Ashley.

She touched her forehead to mine and opened her mouth to speak. "You were right when you said that someone was going to get hurt, Spence." she whispered painfully. It was like it hurt her to say it, and it wrenched my heart. I went to pull away, but she leaned forward faster than I could pull away, and I felt our lips connect.

I froze, shocked. The moment I had imagined, but never thought would happen, just happened. It felt different then the times I've kissed Aiden. His lips were chapped, rough, but Ashley's... Her lips were warm against mine, soft, and it felt like they melted into mine perfectly. I found myself gasping in shock. Ashley, as if suddenly coming to her senses, jerked back and stepped away from me, a finger touching her lips. I licked mine, tasting the ghost of her lips, a soft vanilla of the clear gloss she uses. "So that you can kiss someone, and not leave a trace" I heard her say to someone once.

She opened her mouth to say something, but the doorbell cut her off. She closed her eyes and stayed still, mouth moving as she silently cursed. It rang again, and again as if the ringer was in a hurry and she turned around.

I watched as she opened the door, and a tall man, with dark wavy hair stepped inside. "Ashley? Right? And Kyla. My name is Jeff Davies. And I think you two owe me something." He growled, moving forward and forcing Ashley to back up next to me.

"I'm not..." I started, but Ashley cut me off.

"Kyla, I don't think now is a good time to interrupt Jeff," she said, voice quivering. She looked frightened, and I was pretty sure that she had no idea who this guy was. And if he was some axe-murderer, it's best if the real Kyla was still alive. Then a thought occurred to me.

"Wait, did you say Davies?" I questioned cautiously.

He grinned, large teeth a bright white. "Yes. Jeff Davies. The brother your father clearly never mentioned. And I think your father, and you, owe me big time."

**A/N Post-Story: See! I'm happy, because now the story is getting ready to escalate. And we are now guaranteed more Spashley time, and a few unexpected turns, and people (which may be confusing, but oh well! That's the game XD) Prepare yourself mortals.**

**Also, Shorts will not always be about destroying Katie. Some might actually be relevant to the story, Like to clarify an element or might even hint on the story coming after this (which is a Skins story, for fans of it).  
**


	8. Kidnapped

**Disclaimer: As my favourite bunny once put: "Them damn republicans and their copyright laws". Yeah, nope. Don't own South of Nowhere. I do own North of Somewhere. Wait, that doesn't exist. Just read the story.**

**A/N: This was supposed to be published earlier, but I forgot that I hadn't actually published it... Frank appears to be tampering with my memory  
**

Yeah, my father definitely didn't say anything about this guy. I've never even seen this guy before. I'm pretty sure if Kyla was really here, she wouldn't have an idea who this guy was either. Spencer looked like she was about to correct him, say that she wasn't really Kyla, but it seemed like it was easier that she stayed silent until we were able to get the guy to leave. I shot her a look and she nodded, understanding that it was crucial that she played her role. If films told me anything the past few years, people who are after revenge are usually dangerous.

I glared at him, trying to look like he didn't bother me, and I crossed my arms. "Okay, Jeff. Your, old. Like, 30 years old. My dad would have had to of been..."

He interrupted me, finishing my sentence. "19 years old. Yeah young. Sit down." He growled, stepping forward. He was a tall man, wide shoulders, and built. If anything he was pretty intimidating. I heard Spencer squeak next to me, and I touched her arm. We stayed still in our spot until he moved forward, and I felt myself backing up until my knees gave out against the couch.

He had a shadow of a beard, and it made his unusually thin face look ragged, and his pale blue eyes shined in an unspoken fury. His dark wavy hair, about chin length, was messy, giving him a slightly wild look to his face. As I stared at him, I started to see bits of my father, in his eyes, the shape of his face. But I wasn't seeing my father. There was no kindness in his eyes. No laughter, or worry in his facial lines. Just anger. And he was growing angrier by the second.

"My mother was only 16 when your father, our father, impregnated her. She was only _16. _Her life was over the second she realised that she was pregnant with me. She told my father, and the coward took off. Said that he was going to tell his mother, that he was happy for them, when really he was afraid of the officials finding out about their illegal relation. He skipped out of town, leaving my mother to raise me on my own." His face flickered with sadness, and he froze, trying to pull himself together.

It was clear that Jeff loved his mother, that he believed the story his mother told him about our father. It was also clear that Jeff had been brooding over this for a while, slowly growing to resent his father and everything related to him. After a second, Jeff turned back to us, sadness gone, replaced with irritation. He had calmed down slightly, and I felt Spencer scootch slightly away from me.

"Your father owes it to me and my Mum to have included us in his will. It was only last year that I even found out that he had died. That I found out that I had two other siblings, siblings I had gone 18 years without even knowing I had. That I had _family._" he stressed the family part, and part of me wondered if maybe Jeff had actually felt jipped of having a family. That maybe he was here hoping for family connection. It eased me slightly, and I started to feel sorry for Jeff.

His next words chilled me, and any pity I felt for the man disappeared. "I did some research, found a copy of the will, found my name. I don't get any of the money unless you two were to somehow become incapable of collecting the money. Say, like, if both of you were to go missing." He smiled eerily, and took a couple of steps toward us.

Next to me, Spencer started to speak, but I grabbed her hand to stop her. If Jeff were to do something, I'd rather the real Kyla not be here so that Jeff's plan was foiled. And If he was planning something, Spencer was the one person I'd rather endure it with.

She looked at me and I gave her a pleading look, squeezing her hand tightly. She opened her mouth to speak but I cut her off. "Kyla. Now is not the time." I stressed Kyla's name, hoping that Spencer would just get the hint and stay silent. It worked and she smiled at me slightly. She let go of my hand and sat back.

She looked at Jeff, giving him a tired sigh. "What do you want, Jeff? Are you going to kill us? Bury our bodies in the backyard of someone you despise, putting the blame on him?"

Jeff chuckled. "Oh no, they would eventually trace it back onto me. No, once condition of your money is that you stay home, go to school. But if you were to, say run away, never come back to claim the money in a month, you two would fail to meet the requirements of inheriting your trust fund." He stood in front of us, leaning down so that he could meet our eyes. "The only other option is to give the money to me." I swear to god, the man started to laugh like a maniac.

Spencer cleared her throat, interrupting his laugh. He glared at her, obviously pissed at her for interrupting his moment. She rolled her eyes, making him stiffen. "Me and Ashley are obviously not going to run away. So, your plan isn't going to work," she said, pointing out the obvious flaw in his plan.

Jeff shrugged, as if that major fact wasn't even relevant. "You'll run away. If you don't, I will be burying you in Adam's yard, chopped up and nearly unrecognisable. I'd rather you stay alive, and flee the country in case you come back and tell on me." He giggled gleeful, and somehow I didn't think he'd have an issue of tossing us in a meat grinder and spreading our remains like fertiliser in someone's yard.

"And how are you going to make us run away?" I asked nervously.

"Do you have passports?" he asked, straightening up.

Spencer shook her head. "No, why would we? It;s not like we could afford to travel since Mum squandered our money." I smiled at Spencer, proud of her quick thinking.

Jeff cracked his knuckles. "Not a problem I can't fix. Lets go." He turned around and started towards the door.

Spencer gave him a funny look and stood up cautiously. "Now? No packing, no cash? Wouldn't that look funny to fly without baggage?"

Jeff looked thoughtful for a second and nodded. "I suppose you can bring a bag of stuff, but I'm searching it after your done, and doing a body check, so no funny business." he said, giving us each a death stare. Spencer nodded quickly and grabbed my hand, leading me upstairs.

Once we got to my room, she shut the door, and turned to face me. I've had numerous fantasies of bringing her to my room, but none of them involved a kidnapping.

"Ashley, what the hell are we going to do?" She asked, eyes wide with panic. "I'm not Kyla, and I have a life, a family that will notice if I'm gone. We can't just leave." she said, walking towards the door and setting an ear to the door.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to think. "Well, If we don't do this, he'll kill us, and if we bring cash, we have a better chance of surviving and telling someone. And if the real Kyla is here and alive, it reducing his chance of getting the money." I walked over to my closet and pulled out my travel trunk.

"What if he kills Kyla?" she asked, walking over.

I stared to pull clothes off the hangers. Me and Spencer were about the same size, so we could just share clothes. "Hopefully he wont. Once they realise that we're missing, and chances are it'll be Jeff who sounds the alarm, they'll figure out that it was you he took, and not Kyla, and they'll watch her closely so that he can't get to her. And maybe arrest him if he hadn't fled yet."

She played with a shirt that was hanging out of the trunk and frowned. "What if we can't get back? Like, if we go too far out and we can't get home?" She threw the shirt back in and sat on my bed.

"Then at least we have each other." I smiled at her and shut the trunk setting it on the bed next to her. She looked up at me hopefully, and I realized my mistake. "Not like that, though. Like, we know each other and have each other for company..." I babbled, trying to cover up my slip.

She snorted. "So now nothing happened? You can't admit it, can you? That you like me, and you want to be with me?" She scrutinised me, and I fidgeted with my fingers. Her eyes widened with realisation. "Your afraid, aren't you? You've been hurt before, I can see it in your eyes. Is that what is is about?" she asked, standing up to walk over.

I opened my mouth to deny it, but a loud bang on the door jerked my attention away. "Hurry up! I already made arrangements, and we need to make a few stops along the way. Bring the bag so I can search it." His footsteps faded down the hall and I grabbed the wad of cash out from under the mattress.

"We'll finish this later. Or never, cause it'll never happen." I said, grabbing the trunk and opening the door.

Spencer walked quickly behind me. "What do you mean, will never happen? Why will it never happen?"

I put my hand over her mouth and put a finger over mine. "Now is not the best time to be discussing this, now is it? We're in the middle of a kidnapping, and you wanna talk about us? Later!" I hissed, spinning back around and trotting down the stairs.

Spencer grumbled behind me and pouted by the door. Jeff came out of the kitchen, phone in one hand at his ear, large paper sack in the other hand at his side. He looked at the two of us and ended the call with a shut of his phone. "Strip to undergarments and spread 'em." he said, setting the bag down and putting the phone in his pocket.

Spencer and I looked at him, dumbfounded and he snorted in annoyance. "Now girls. We don't have much time. Unless you rather I did it myself?"

I quickly pulled my top off and started to work on my belt. I felt Spencer's eyes on me, examining my body as I quickly unveiled it. Again, not how I pictured undressing with Spencer. I cleared my throat and Spencer tore her eyes away and started to work on her own clothing,

Shivering in my bra and panties, I looked at Jeff. He made a twirling action with his finger and I turned around. Spencer followed, and tried to talk with her eyes, but it only confused me more. I listened as Jeff checked our clothing, searching the pockets. Eventually he finished and walked over.

"Sorry if my hands are cold," He said, setting his hands on my shoulders. I jumped, and started to panic. Why was he touching me?

He gripped my shoulders tightly and I froze. "Good girl. Just need to check your not hiding anything from me." His hands wandered so that they cupped my breasts. He moved them around, examining each crevice, not intimately, but almost professionally, like it was his job. His hands travelled south and clenched my eyes shut, holding my breath as he continued his search of the nether regions.

Finished his search of me he moved over to Spencer. "Your turn, Kyla. Again, sorry if my hands are cold." He set his hands on her shoulders.

She snorted and rolled her head. "Might as well have just had us stripped naked for this." she snapped, sarcastically.

He shook his head. "Nonsense. Your my sister. Incest isn't my thing. This search is bad enough." He sounded uncomfortable, and I began to feel a twinge of pity again. At least he still had some kind of family value. I guess that's why he's letting us live instead of just killing us.

I heard Spencer squeak softly as his hands travel down. I felt bad; Jeff might be my half-brother, but Spencer isn't related to him at all. As violated as I felt, she must be on the verge of freaking out.

He stepped away from her and handed us our clothing. "You followed my orders, and you're not hiding anything. So farm things are running smoothly. Keep it up and all should keep running as such. Soon, you'll be far away, and I'll be a rich man." He smirked and watched us get dressed. Brother or not, it was still creepy.

Once we were dressed, he picked up the trunk and opened the front door. "Ladies, after you." he said. We stepped out into the front yard and saw his tan Civic in the driveway. With a push of a button on the key ring, the doors unlocked and the boot opened. He stuck the trunk in the boot and shut it, and opened the back door for us. We stared at him, and his eyes flashed with irritation. "Get in the car. Now." he growled, and I felt myself enter the small car. Spencer followed, and Jeff shut the door. He moved to the drivers side of the car and got in.

"Hope you guys like fish and chips, since where you're going, you'll be eating a lot of it." He turned the key in the ignition, and the car choked to life. Spencer grabbed my hand tightly, and Jeff pulled out of the driveway.

* * *

**A/N: I was talking to a turtle the other day. He said he saw a tan Civic pass his tree stump home just last week, makes me wonder what Frank has been doing driving my car again. That turtle is no longer living. He knew far too much, such as where my car was going. YOU CAN'T KNOW THAT YET! That's not until next chapter. I know, I know. Ashley/Kyla don't owe anything to Jeff, ladida, but Jeff is a psychopathic maniac much like myself with way too many connections. Now Spashley is going bye-byes, and the real story lifts off. Are you excited yet? Are you just shaking and quivering with anticipation? Are you willing to stalk me and pressure me into writing the next chapter? Cuz I'm not writing another word until people start givin feedback. And I really need to know if I'm going outta your comfort zone. If I am, FAN-BLOODY-TASTIC. That's what I want. **


	9. Stage 1

**Disclaimer: So, I was at Cabella's the other day looking at the big, stuffed, animals that people killed and got taxidermists to immortalise. So I was wondering if I should go hunt the Creator and stuff him, and when I show people, I could go, "Yep, thats him. I killed him, and I got his show, too." But unfortunately, I can't really do that, and I still don't own this show. Bu I own this story. Thats a bonus...**

**A/N: So I was having computer issues. My computer (named Frank) nearly died on Tuesday. Like, the hard drive nearly died, and I would have lost everything, but, in the fashion of Frank,** **resuscitated and my computer is alive and well. So, hopefully, no more delays.**

I should have said something. Back when Jeff first called me Kyla, I should have said that I wasn't Kyla. I shouldn't be the one in the back of Jeff's Honda Civic, driving to God knows where, with the girl that I'm undeniably attracted to, but also deeply resent. My mother would be worried sick, and would probably start calling the police as soon as she found out what happened. The Real Kyla would be snatched by Jeff, which Ashley says won't happen, but Jeff seems like the kind of guy who would do anything to get his hands on the money. Anything like kidnapping a pair of girls who are supposedly related to him, and sending them to infinity and beyond.

I think I only really agreed up in Ashley's bed was because of the way she looked. I know she wanted me as much as I wanted her. It was obvious when she slipped up. As much as Ashley hated to admit it, she needs me as much as I need her. I don't know if it's pride, shame or fear that's preventing her from just accepting her feeling for me. She kissed me, back before Jeff interrupted us. She said that someone was going to get hurt, and she kissed me, and I don't think that she was talking about me getting hurt. So in that few minutes up in her room packing up, when I could have just walked away, I stayed. I knew she needed me, and I hoped that maybe staying with her would help her realise that.

That is, if we even stay alive long enough for her to realise it. We had twenty bucks to our name, and no cell phone. We had no idea where we were going, and no way to tell someone even if we did. I looked over at Ashley, and saw that she was staring out the window, biting her lip nervously, obviously thinking about our situation as much as I was. I reached over and grabbed her hand, interlacing our fingers together and gave it a small squeeze.

She jumped slightly in surprise and looked down at our hands. She flicked her eyes to Jeff up front, who was singing along to some old songs off of his I-pod, completely oblivious to us in the back. Ashley unbuckled her seatbelt and scooted over so she sat in the middle next to me, rebuckling.

"Spence, I am so sorry I got you into this." She said, voice barely above a mutter. I quick looked up to Jeff, lost in his headphones, and pulled Ashley into me. It was something sisters did, right? Ashley went to pull away, but changed her mind and snuggled up against my chest.

I squeezed her hand and looked out the window. "It's okay, Ashley."

We sat like that for a while, me looking out the window, Ashley dozing of against me. Soon it started to get dark, and we were way out into the more rural part of California, far away from any airport that I knew of. I looked up to the front, and saw Jeff fidgeting with his mobile, trying to type out a message and drive at the same time. After the third attempt, he threw it at me.

"You, Kyla. Type out 'Markus, be there in ten', please? And don't do anything funny, I really don't want to spill family blood tonight." he said, looking back briefly with an almost friendly look on his face before returning his gaze firmly on the road.

Quickly I typed the message, trying hard not to wake up Ashley. Ashley, despite my efforts not to, woke up and stared at the phone. "Spence, quick..." she started, but I shook my head. It wasn't worth it, right now.

After I sent the message, I through the mobile back up to the passenger seat and Jeff nodded his thanks. Ashley looked out the window and frowned. "Jeff, where are we?" She asked, moving forward so she could look out the front. Jeff, noticing how close Ashley was, jerked away, making the car swerve sharply. Ashley shot back against me, and Jeff pulled off to the side of the road and turned around.

"Do not do that!" he shouted, almost childishly, looking at Ashley and me. "No one comes up to the front, or comes close to Jeff. Understand?" he squeaked, reaching for his mobile on the seat. Ashley nodded and I turned back to the window. Jeff, satisfied, turned back around and pulled back on to the road.

A short time later, we pulled up into a back road, surrounded by trees, that lead to a small, dark cabin. He parked the car next to the cabin and turned the car off. He turned to face us and squinted at us in the dark. Unable to see us, he turned on the light on the ceiling, and looked at us for a second.

"You know, for sisters, you two don't really look alike. Me and Ashley look similar, but your all blonde hair, blue eyes." He stared at me suspiciously, and I put on my best indifferent look and shrugged.

"My mum's blonde." I explained casually, hoping he'd buy it. He did.

He shrugged back and jerked open his door, grabbing something out of the passenger seat before leaving the car. He opened the rear door and grabbed my arm, pulling me almost roughly and guided me out of the car. He looked down at Ashley and reached for her, but she quickly got out of the car without his help and stood next to me.

He opened the bag and took out a pair of plastic strips, turning to face us. "So, Markus isn't me. I respect you, and trust you to a point because your family. But Markus is a hired thug, and honestly couldn't care who you are. He doesn't trust you guys, and so you can only have what your wearing now and whatever is in your pockets, and you need to be bound up so there is no funny business."

Ashley glared at him. "So what was the point in us packing our trunk?" she spat.

Jeff looked at the boot and shrugged. "I suggest before we go in, that you grab anything you need out of there. I mean, you can't bring it in..." he pulled out his keys and opened the boot, pulling out our trunk and setting it on the ground. The light in the car allowed us to see it, but not well.

"Is there anything here you'll need?" he asked, looking up at us.

I shook my head, but Ashley went right to the trunk and pulled out a couple of hoodies, throwing one at me, and the other on herself. Then she pulled out a pair of sweat pants and tossed one to me, pulling the other over her shorts. "You never know when you need the extra layers. " She explained, stepping back.

Jeff nodded. "Good idea. Great Britain is known for being a bit chilled." He held up the plastic strips and walked over. "Now for the wrist confinements. Sorry about this." he said.

He walked up to me first and grabbed my left wrist. Looking at the strip closely, I recognised it as one of the plastic handcuffs that police have, and he wrapped the one end over my wrist and pulled it tightly over my wrist, nearly cutting off the circulation. He did the same thing to the other side and moved onto Ashley. Then he pulled us together and took out another length of plastic out of his pocket and hooked us together, so one of us couldn't move anywhere without the other. Me and Ashley were officially stuck together, for better or worse.

Then for show, he pulled out a retractable dog leash and attached it to the plastic loop. "So that it looks cool walking up," he explained, starting to move towards the dark cabin.

The leash pulled us towards him, and the loop connecting me to Ashley was long enough that we could walk side by side, if not closely, without tripping over one another.

I've seen a lot of films in my time, and in the kidnapping scenes, the heroine usually does something like kicks her captor and runs for the hills, finds a payphone, calls the police, and is rescued. But this isn't a film, and the heroine isn't usually in love with her fake sister, who is conveniently tied to her. And if I was to tell this story to anyone, they would have pointed out all the different moments where we could have escaped. But secretly, as much as I was terrified at what was happening, I was intrigued. Almost excited about it. If Jeff wasn't our kidnapper, if we met on different terms, he could have been fun to hang out with. The real Kyla would have had an okay, if somewhat eccentric, brother. And this felt like something that came right out of Hollywood. And I have Ashley. I don't think I could live with myself, knowing that I got away and left Ashley all alone, wondering what ever happened to her.

Jeff pushed us inside the dark room, and flipped on the light. "Honey, I'm home!" he shouted, almost gleefully. Another guy walked into the room from somewhere, eyes looking at us warily. He said something to Jeff in Russian. Jeff looked at Ash and me and nodded., responding back in Russian. The guy, who I assumed was Markus, grabbed the leash from Jeff and pulled us into a room off to the side and shoved us inside. He shut the door on us, and I heard the lock click.

The light turned on, and Ashley turned around as much as she could without dragging me and looked around the room. A small bed was pushed up against one wall, and another wall opened up to a door-less bathroom. It was barren, the walls painted a harsh white colour, the floor made out of a grey concrete.

"I guess this is our jail cell then, Spence?" Ashley asked, turning to look at me.

I nodded. "That's what it looks like." I said, taking another look around the room. It didn't even have a window.

Ashley's face fell, and she looked like she was about to cry. "Spencer, I am so sorry to drag you in this. You shouldn't have to go through this. It's all mine and my stupid father's fault." she turned her head away from me, and raised her hands up to her face to wipe her eyes. My hands followed hers slightly, pulled by our connection plastic, and pulled my hands down, dragging her hands away from her face.

I grabbed her hands in my own. "Hey, like you said, at least we've got each other, right?" I whispered, trying to calm her down.

Her face crumpled, and she started to cry harder. I raised our hands and wrapped my plastic bit behind her neck, pulling her into a close hug. He hands ended up trapped between our bodies, and she fell forward, burying her face into the space between my neck and shoulder. We stood like that for a few minutes, me rocking us back and forth and making soothing noises while she cried into me.

When she settled down, I pulled my hands back up and over her head, freeing her from my hug. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. "You don't think this guy will kill us, do you Spencer?" she asked roughly, throat raw from crying.

I shook my head. "Honestly, I don't think so. He has a job to do, and I don't think he'll risk losing his pay by killing us. You heard what Jeff says. He doesn't want family blood spilled." I cracked my knuckles and moved us to the bed. "I also don't think that they'll do anything until morning."

Ashley nodded and sat down, the mattress springs creaking as her weight settled on it. I sat down next to her, and she grabbed my hands again. "I'm so sorry, Spencer."

I shook my head. "Like I said, it's okay, Ash."

She shook her head, sniffing like she was about to cry again. "No, like, I'm sorry Spencer, for being me. For causing this. For not being good enough for you. For pushing you away, confusing you. I can't do it, because I'm not good enough, and it'll hurt us both so much." she started to cry again, releasing her hands to wipe her eyes furiously. "For not being smart enough like Kyla to get us out of this. I don't deserve to be stuck here like this with you." She was crying almost hysterically now, and I pulled her against my chest leaning on the wall.

"It's okay, Ashley. It's okay." I said, putting a hand on her cheek.

She shook her head. "No it's not."

**A/N: Some of you are probably going, "Now we're getting somewhere!" Or if your my Tabby, your like, "See, I got your ass back together!" But, for all you out there, this is the latest installment, and all your getting until my next brain break. You shall start to see how this all comes together in my beautiful mind, and how Jeff really is a real person I know, who doesn't kidnapp people because he's terrified of pidgeons, but he's always wanted to. And my Civic is on its way to Mexico for disposal. That turtle could have had friends who is telling others, awho is telling humans, who is telling people where I live, so that they could recreate what happened in "Mercy" by Stephan King. Never read it? Don't. I don't want to give you any ideas...**


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